Tricks, Treats, and Cool Costumes

We had a pretty low-key Halloween this year. We didn't even carve pumpkins. How lame is that?! My poor last child is really getting the shaft. On Sunday after Halloween, I heard the front door close while I was making dinner, so I went to look out the window. There was Jensen trying to heft the big pumpkin I bought for her the day after Halloween into the house so we could carve it. We will have to have Thanksgiving jack-o-lanterns this year.

Nonetheless, we had a great time with family on Friday night. The kids looked great (and so did Grammy) for trunk-or-treat at Cash and Marisa's ward building. We started with mabel burgers here at our house, a Gunnell family (as in Brent as a little boy) Halloween tradition. What's that? You've never heard of mabel burgers? Well, you are missing out. Here are mabel burgers -- a delectable conglomeration of eggs, cheese, and ham, baked on a hot dog bun. Doesn't get better!
After mabel burgers (which were named after Brent's Grandma's neighbor, Mabel), we went to trunk-or-treat then went to Sonic for 50 cent corn dogs and ice cream cones. We ended up with a little trick-or-treating in our old neighborhood where Cash and Ris still live, then home to bed in a sugar-induced coma. The weather was fantastic, and I'm a trick-or-treat die hard, so even when the kids are begging to be done, Jared and I are saying, "Come on, just one more street. You're ok." Bad, bad parents. Hey, he's a dentist, so if his kid is still out scrounging candy, so is mine! :) Other than that, Shaina marched at a football game that night, and Cassie watched movies with friends, so like I said, pretty low-key. (Cassie is the pink power ranger.)

Saturday night, October 32nd, was the annual Hill Halloween party, and the theme this year was heroes and villains. Brent and I threw something together on Saturday morning, literally, but my brothers always go all in, and they looked fantastic! I've decided that I will try to at least match their costume enthusiasm for next year, so they need to come up with a theme like, now. I need a lot of time. . . .

If you want to see more pictures of the party, go to Marisa's blog and web album.

BYU Weekend

Two weekends ago, Brent and I took Cassie and Jensen to Utah to spend some time with Dalin at BYU. It was Parents' Weekend at the school, so there were several activities planned, but we chose to participate in two and spend the rest of the time with the family. The only bummer was that Shaina couldn't go with us because she had her huge district marching band competition at BSU that Saturday, so she had to stay with a friend all weekend. Shaina and Dalin have been having a good time e-mailing each other since Dalin left, so Shaina was really disappointed that she couldn't go on the trip, and we really missed her.

My mom went along with us so she could spend some time with her friend who is on a family history mission in Salt Lake, but she went to Provo with us on Friday to see Dalin first. We spent the weekend walking around campus, shopping at the bookstore, hanging out in Dalin's kitchen/living room, and just being together. We threw in some bowling, and the dinner we went to for parents' weekend featured Polynesian dancers as the entertainment, which Brent loved seeing again. Brent ran a 5K on Saturday morning and did awesome! He came in fourth in his age division and ran the 3.3 miles in 21 minutes. He is running at least 4 times a week, and it's obviously paying off -- although he is really skinny these days! It was a great weekend, and Jensen and I shed several tears when we left.

I wish I could adequately explain how it felt to see Dalin there all settled into school and living life without me. Those of you who have reached the time in life where your kids start leaving home know what I'm talking about, and those of you who haven't reached that point, it stinks! No, actually there are a lot of mixed emotions. I'm so proud of Dalin for the choices he's making and the life he is living. It's also nice to see that he is capable of surviving on his own with a little peanut butter and jelly and some toaster waffles. I'm excited that he is meeting new people, working to support himself, and doing well in school. But, I miss him. I hate that he isn't home, sitting in his rocking chair reading. I miss talking to him face-to-face and seeing him grow and mature every day. I miss having another man in the house. I miss being able to sneak up on him and kiss him on the cheek. I just miss him. Having children home is a difficult thing full of challenges and rewards, but no one ever told me how hard it was to have them leave. The upcoming mission will be something that will take a lot of getting used to for Dalin's mom.

Speaking of mission, Dalin's papers will go to SLC sometime close to Nov. 5. WOW! My baby is almost 19 and is going to go serve the Lord for two years. He is a good man, and the people wherever he goes will be blessed to have him there.